What is a DBS?

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaced the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) which merged together to become the DBS in 2012 as part of the Protection of Freedoms Act.

A DBS check tends to be required in instances where volunteers or employees in England and Wales are working in care, with children or vulnerable people.

The DBS checks the ECB carries out are enhanced checks. These check for any spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings, plus any additional information held locally by police forces that's reasonably considered relevant to the post applied for.

The checks cost £38 for anybody in a paid role and £13 per year to register to the Update Service but are free for volunteers.

The ECB’s DBS checking process has now moved online. This is a great step forward allowing individuals to complete their DBS application within minutes. Benefits of the system include:

• Applicants to complete their DBS application completely online, by PC, laptop, tablet or phone
• Verifiers will be able to log on with any device, check evidence and verify
•  Volunteers and paid roles who complete the new system and receive their certificate can register for the DBS Update Service.
• Administrators can see almost immediately who is signed off and verified

If you are wondering whether you need a DBS check, find out here.

If you would like to apply for a DBS check but are not sure how, find out here.